Most Anticipated Restaurants

10 of the most anticipated restaurants opening in Austin this summer

Handmade pasta from Juniper, opening soon.

Photo by Kristin Vrana

Summer in Austin usually means a dearth of restaurant activity: hot temperatures and summer travel tend to slow progress down. This year may prove to be the exception to the rule. With so much Central Austin development, new restaurants abound this summer, as a host of talented Austin veteran chefs bring new concepts to light.

Here are 10 of the most interesting spots that you must check out this summer. Many are nearing the finish line and targeting an opening in the next three to four months.

Otoko

Paul Qui's exclusive 12-seat Japanese restaurant tucked inside the new South Congress Hotel looks to be Austin's hottest ticket for the second half of 2015. While sushi will be a focus, Qui will also offer other hot and cold Japanese dishes in Kyoto's kaiseki style. Otoko's seats will be ticketed and priced according to the diner's menu selection, with a standard meal running in the $150 range. Look for a late July or early August debut.

Bullfight

Shawn Cirkiel's ode to Spain on Airport Boulevard opens in August on the site of a former gas station owned by the restaurateur's grandfather. A full cocktail menu will be featured, as will an all-Spanish wine list. There will be a full tapas menu at Bullfight, but Cirkiel has emphasized that his menu will include more vegetables than a traditional Spanish bar, as well as nods to Texas seasonal ingredients. Parkside Projects currently lists August as the target opening date.

Wu Chow

After a smashing debut with Swift's Attic, CK Chin and his partners turn their attention to Chinese cuisine at Wu Chow, located downtown in the IBC building near Fixe. A late summer debut is planned for the long-awaited project, which will host weekend dim sum service. The cuisine will focus on multiple regions of China and will include some of Chin's favorite family recipes.

Irene's

An "American Bar"-themed project from ELM Restaurant Group (24 Diner, Arro, Italic, Easy Tiger), Irene's takes over the former Joe's space on West Avenue for an all-day service of comfort classics. Look for soups and sandwiches like tuna melts and cheesesteaks at lunch. At dinner, expect dishes like pot pie and red beans and rice. The Craig Collins-curated bar will go long on whiskey and vodka drinks and will feature boozy punches with fresh fruit as a regular house special. Like sister restaurant Easy Tiger, Irene's will offer morning coffee and pastry service to area workers.

Michi Ramen (South)

Since Ramen Tatsu-Ya forbids takeout, ramen fans in 78704 will flock to the second location of the delicious and well-regarded Michi. The small space (near Kerbey Lane Cafe and Torchy's) is actually takeout only, meaning that Austin's restaurant and in-home ramen needs are both being met on South Lamar.

The Townsend

Justin Elliott's departure from qui to head up The Townsend made this of immediate interest to Austin drink enthusiasts. Elliott's tenure at Paul Qui's flagship drew numerous accolades, setting the (ahem) bar high for this Congress Avenue food, drink and live music project. After a soft opening earlier in June, the space is now officially open. The bar itself is a monster with heavy, high-back chairs; a huge workspace for the bar team; and a sleek cocktail list utilizing pared down recipes for riffs on the classics.

Juniper

Uchi alum Nicolas Yanes takes on Northern Italian in East Austin. The preview menus have highlighted dishes like crispy zucchini blossoms with smoked ricotta; San Daniele ham with figs and honey; and grilled duck with peaches, pickled pearl onions and marjoram. A full bar will play off Juniper's name and offer cocktails featuring rare gins. The wine list looks beyond the usual suspects with esoteric and exciting selections like Italian Schiava and and Greek Moscofilero. The restaurant anticipates a July opening, but hosts a final preview dinner on July 6 at Lenoir ($75).

Lonesome Dove

Tim Love's first Austin outpost debuts June 25 in the former Kenichi space, but the Fort Worth chef and TV personality has been planning a Central Texas spot for some time. As a partner in the Austin Food + Wine Festival, Love has been a frequent presence here. The Lonesome Dove menu combines strong accents of wild game (elk sausage sliders, wild boar ribs) with steakhouse classics like beef tenderloin, seared duck breast and truffle mac and cheese. Cocktails here are of the crowd-pleasing variety (margaritas, whiskey gingers) and the wine list leans heavily toward fruit-forward California and Washington favorites.

Shake Shack (North)

Danny Meyer's second Austin Shake Shack is a more blown-out space than the first location at Lamar Union; the restaurant will have a bocce court and outdoor lounging areas complete with Adirondack chairs. Like the South Lamar location, the ever-popular burger chain will boast collaborations with Uchi (a concrete) and Kreuz Market (a sausage-topped burger). Texas wine and a beer list heavy on local beer and cider will be on display. Expect a "later in 2015" debut for the Domain location — Eater reports that they've begun posting hiring notices.

Juliet

Chefs Jacob Weaver and Brandon Fuller will bring upscale Italian food to Barton Springs Road in early July at Juliet, housed in the former Romeo's space near South Lamar. Diners may recognize Weaver from Asti and Fuller from his time at Cafe Josie. A huge patio holding more than 100 diners will be a focal point of the restaurant, as will house-made pizzas, pastas and breads. There will, of course, be salumi and cheese plates. Heartier mains like grilled beef tenderloin and Texas quail al forno will also be available. A full bar and wine program will be offered.

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In addition to these projects, keep an eye out later in 2015 for David Bull's new Boiler Nine at Seaholm, along with second locations of Bufalina and Barley Swine on Burnet Road. On the bar scene, watch for a "sometime in 2015" downtown debut from Small Victory, a new project from beverage pro Josh Loving.

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News You Can Eat

A frozen custard closure and New Year's menus renew Austin food news

Culver's/Facebook

People in North Austin can still go to Culver's if they're willing to drive to Leander.

As folks in Austin digest their Christmas and Hanukkah meals, the restaurant scene also takes a bit of a siesta. That's good news for anyone who need to catch up on openings and closings over the next few weeks — or plan a nice meal on an upcoming day off.

Openings and closings

A longtime spot for frozen custard and burgers has reached its melting point. Culver's, technically a franchise out of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, has become a local staple over its decades at 2240 W. Braker Ln., but it's now closed. A Reddit user snapped a picture of the sign on the location's last day. It read: "Count down 1 day / Thank you Austin for a great 26 years." Other users pointed to a condo development that will be taking the restaurant's place. Community Impactreports that the replacement location will be at 1631 Crystal Village Blvd. in Leander, and will open in February 2025.

Speaking of chains in Leander, the California chicken sandwich chain Daddy’s Chicken Shack has recently moved in. Located at 3501 N. Lakeline Blvd., Ste. 110, this is the first restaurant in the Austin area. It's up-and-coming in Texas, but so far there are just three locations across the state. What sets this chain apart is its pressure cooked crispy chicken, but guests can also opt to have their chicken grilled. On the menu are sandwiches, chicken and waffles, popcorn chicken, wraps, loaded fries, and more. Hours are daily from 7 am to 11 pm.

Farmhouse Delivery, a high-end grocery delivery service, is back in action, having made its first deliveries on December 24. The service shut down in May 2024, promising it would just be temporary. Although it's known for its prepared foods, it seems like its bread and butter (pun intended) right now is à la carte, uncooked ingredients. There's no word yet on the upcoming storefront or move away from packaging. (Those changes are covered in more detail here.) Right now, a newsletter says, the goal is getting delivery capacity back up to speed.

Farmhouse Delivery tenderloin This tenderloin is on Farmhouse Delivery's seasonal menu.farmhousedelivery.com

ICYMI: We've published stories about several closings and openings in the past week — some temporary — so let's recap.

Although the 29th Street Ballroom plans to stay open through most of its upcoming renovation, it will feel refreshed in March when the superstar new management team officially presents the new bar, which will be open even when there are no events scheduled.
Fine dining restaurant Hestia is also undergoing some renovations, so exclusive social club The Pershing is hosting the team for ticketed pop-ups throughout January.
Basil & Bites, a new sister concept to Pflugerville's Broth & Basil has been announced in Hutto. It'll serve Vietnamese cuisine with Texas influences.
Confituras Little Kitchen, specializing in fruit preserves and baked goods, is closing its brick-and-mortar and returning to the farmers market. Some products will remain available as retail at other businesses.
A Dallas project called La La Land Kind Cafe seeks to help youth transition from the foster system into adulthood by providing professional training while they work at the cafe. It recently announced it's found a location on South Congress Avenue in Austin. Expect a full coffee menu, fancy toasts, iced coolers, tea, and more.

Other news and notes

Those who need a little luck going into 2025 can get some at Thai Fresh. On New Year's Day, guests can order from the regular menu or the Lucky Foods menu, which features Texas black-eyed pea salad, cabbage soup, fried whole fish, pad mee, and some special desserts. All these dishes were selected because at least one ingredient is said to have lucky properties — and lucky for diners with a gluten sensitivity, everything on the special menu except the pad mee is gluten-free.

"Fish are a symbol of prosperity due to their scales resembling coins and their forward motion," says the menu announcement from Thai Fresh.Photo by Jody Horton, courtesy of Thai Fresh

Quince ATX is debuting its new executive chef in style on New Year's Eve. Julien Hawkins has been chef de cuisine at Austin Proper Hotel and Hestia, and worked in the kitchen at Asador Etxebarri, a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Spain. He'll serve a five-course meal featuring lobster tail thermidor, prime beef tenderloin, Cajun specialties, Baked Alaska, and more for $150. Then the party continues until 2 am with DJ Brigham of San Miguel de Allende. Reserve via OpenTable.

OpenTable, the online reservations platform, has compiled a list of the 10 most-booked restaurants in Austin. Whether you're reading out of curiosity or calibrating your reservations strategy, may the bookings be ever in your favor.

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